1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of communication systems, and in particular, to a communication system that uses a tone generator to automatically register a mobile user to use communication devices in the communications system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wireless communication system provides communications to a user despite the movement of the user within the system. In a wireless communication system, a mobile telephone exchanges wireless registration signals with a base station. The base station sends a registration message to a registration database. The wireless communication system then uses the registration database to forward calls to the base station that currently registers the mobile telephone. Unfortunately, this wireless communication system is complex and expensive.
Call-forwarding systems allow some user mobility without a complex wireless communication system. In a call-forwarding system, the user has calls that were placed to a first telephone number forwarded to a second telephone number. For example, the user may have calls that are placed to their office telephone number forwarded to their mobile telephone number. In another example, the user may have a personal telephone number that must be translated into a second telephone number for routing. The first number stays the same, but the user may change the second telephone number. To invoke call-forwarding, the user calls the call-forwarding system to identify themselves and provide the second telephone number. Unfortunately, the call-forwarding system forces the user to continually call in and manually register as they move about.
An auto-dialer is a device that emits a pre-defined series of tones to place a telephone call through a conventional telephone. The auto-dialer is typically used for access to a long distance provider or access to frequently called businesses, such as reservation agencies. Unfortunately, auto-dialers have not been configured to provide efficient user registration for the use of nearby communication devices.